Electroplating apparatus



No. 637,585. Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

' E. HETT ELECTRDPLATING APPARATUS. (Application fikzd Jan. 13, 1897.) (N0 MOKIBL) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

ATTORNE 4 A WITNESSES:

THE Nonms pzrsws no, vnoro-umo. WASHINGTON o. c

\ No. 637,585- Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

E. HETT.

' ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS.

(Applicubionfiled Jan. 13, 1897.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shani 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

JQMZ/ m% ATTO NEYJ Tu: NORRIS PEYERS co. PHOTD-LITHDIWASNYNGTON. o c

Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

E. HETT.

ELECTRDPLAT ING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 13, 1897.)

4 Shea ts-Sheet 3.

(No Modal.)

I I INVENTOR WITNESSES: A M /K% 6 Patented Nov. 2|, |899. E. H-ETT. ELEGTROPLATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 13, 1897.) I

4 Sheets$heet 4.

A (No Model.)

WITNESSES:

ATTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD HETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS.

SPECJEFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,585, dated November 21, 1899.

Application filed January 13, 1897. Serial No. 619,041. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be, it known that I, EDWARD HETT, a citizen of the United States, and 'a resident of New York, (New Dorp,) county of Richmond, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electroplating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Inthe accompanying drawings, which form part hereof, Figure 1 is a top view of the mechanism constituting my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view, certain parts being removed. Fig. 4 is a cross section of thesame. Figs. 5 and 6 are details showing in end View and in section a detail device. the tube lifting and holding device.

Referring to the drawings, 10 is the vessel, into which the proper and desired electrolyte is poured. The chemical character of this electrolyte forms no part of the present invention and need not therefore be described.

11 is the object to be electroplated.

The apparatus has been especially contrived for the purpose of plating withzinc thin hollow cylinders of copper, to be subsequently used as printing-surfaces in lithographic work on multicolorlithographic printing presses, a use which necessitates peculiar regularity in the character of the deposit and surface and especially to attain which the present invention has been made. 11 therefore in the drawings represents a thin hollow copper cylinder about to be plated with zinc for use as a printing-surface in lithographic printing.

12 are two metallic conducting-strips lining the two opposite walls or sides of the vessel 10, as shown, in order to constitute the anodes of the apparatus, the cylinder 11 being the oathode. The hollow cylinder 11 is supported in position in the bath and is slowly revolved therein by the two supporting-shafts 13. To that end each one of the supporting-shafts 13 carries at its inner end a head 14, having springs 15, which are adapted to enter the hollow bore of the cylinder 11 and to firmly hold the same and revolve the same by the pressure and friction of the springs 15 outwardly against the inner Walls of the hollow cylinder. The supporting-shafts 13 are carried in suitable stuffing-boxes 16, which may Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show be of any suitable construction such as will permit the shafts to turn freely, while at the same time preventing anyleakage of the liqnor of the bath. In order to slowly revolve the cylinder 11, suitable power is applied at the pulley end of the worm-shaft 17, which drives the worm-wheel 18, which is keyed on one of the supporting-shafts 13, whereby said supporting-shaft 13 is revolved. To simultaneously revolve the other supporting-shaft 13, the train of mechanism 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 is provided, which is driven with the wormwheel 18 and in turn drives the farther supporting-shaft 13, the cog-wheel 23 being keyed on said supporting-shaft. To withdraw the su pporting-shafts 13 from the ends of the cylinder 11 for the purpose of removal of the cylinder from the bath, I provide the following apparatus:

Each supporting-shaft 13 has at its outer end a withdrawing screw-shaft 26. This screwshaft 26 has at its inner end an enlarged head 27, which abuts against the outer end of the shaft 13. A cap incloses said head 27 and screws on the shaft 13. The head 27 is, however, left loose enough to permit the free revolving of the shaft 13 with its cap 25 without'the revolving of the screw-shaft 26 orits head 27. A rib 29 in the frame, taking into a longitudinal slot 28 in the screw-shaft 26, prevents the latter from revolving. The hand screw-wheel 30 by its revolving screws the shaft 26 in and out, being itself held from motion longitudinally to the shaft by the finger 31. By the arrangement thus described the turning of the screw-wheel 30 screws the shaft 26 in or out, and so carries the supporting-shaft 13 in or out, through its stufiing-box and through the driving mechanism 18, which is held fromlateral displacement by the worm 17, and through the driving mechanism 23, which is held from lateral displacement by the finger 24 projecting from the frame of the machine.

The electrical connections are as follows: The two anodes 12 are electrically connected to one pole of the source of current 39 through conducting-strips 450 and rod 4L1 and wires 42, as shown, and the two brushes 32 are electrically connected to the other pole through rod 43 and wires 44, as shown. These brushes when in place bear upon a suitable cond noting-band 33, secured on the supporting-shafts13, and which through the center and heads of said shafts by proper wiring (shown in black lines) are connected with the springs 15, which are metallic conductors. This path for the electricity from the brushes 32 to the springs 15 is suitably insulated.

The. tube lifting and holding device consists of a frame 34, having two upright arms with handles and a connecting-bar, two pivoted or hinged arms 35, having each a holding-finger 36 below and a spring-catch 37, and supports 38, fixed to the side wall of the bath and havinginwardly-projectin g pins adapted to receive the handles of the upright arms of the frame. The tube 11, to be given a surface or coating of zinc, is brought by means of the liftingdevice 34 35 36 37 and suspended in the bath, as shown in Fig. 9, from the sup ports 38. The heads 14; of the supportingshafts 13 are then screwedin into the hollow ends of the tube 11 by turning the screwwheels 30 until the springs 15 bear against andsupport the tube 11. The arms 35 are then unlatched and swung outwardly, as shown at one end in Fig. 7, and the whole lifting device is removed from the supports 38- thing but the liquid of the bath necessarily contacting with the outer surface of the tube.

The method of electrolytically depositing the coating upon the base shown and described herein with reference to the electrolytic bath is not herein separately claimed, such method being made the subject of a separate application filed by me on the 1st day of November, 1899, Serial No. 735,485.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1 The combination with the containing vessel of an electroplating apparatus and suitable electrical connections, of supporting and revoluble shafts 13 mounted in suitable boxes and having at their inner ends interior clamping-heads, and mechanism for revolving and withdrawing said clamping-heads, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the containingves sel of an electroplating-bath and suitable electrical connections, of the supportingshafts 13 having at their inner ends interior clamping-heads, and mechanism for revolving and withdrawing said clamping-heads, including a withdrawing-screw 26 and screw-wheel 30, substantially as set forth.

- 3. Thecombinationwiththe containingvessel of an electroplating apparatus and suitable electrical connections, of supporting and revoluble shafts 13 mounted in suitable boxes and having at their inner ends interior circular claInping-heads,and mechanism for revolving and withdrawing said clamping-heads, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination with the containing vessel of an electroplating-bath and suitable electrical connections, of a pair of oppositelymounted supporting and revoluble shafts 13 mounted in suitable boxes and having at their inner ends interior circular clamping-heads, and mechanism for revolving and withdrawing said clamping-heads, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with supports 38 of a lifting-frame 34c and two pivoted arms 35 having each a holding-finger 36 and a catch 37, whereby a tube maybe lifted and held without contact with its exterior surface, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the containing vessel of an electroplating apparatus and suitable electrical connections and supporting and revoluble shafts 13 mounted in suitable boxes and mechanism for revolving and with- 

